7.25.2005

Mission Update!

Check out this update from some of our missionaries! Be in prayer for the needs they mention, as well as for God to open doors to them, for the Holy Spirit to soften hearts for the Gospel, and for God to receive glory through Jesus Christ in everything they do. If it helps you, print this out and post it on your mirror or somewhere else you'll be sure to see it as a reminder to pray.

Janine and John Gravley, Hong Kong

American Baptists relate to a number of different partners in Hong Kong. One of our partners is Haven of Hope Christian Service. This group began as a medical clinic serving TB patients in Hong Kong. In the 1950's we began offering some financial support for this work. Over the years we have provided funds for the development of this clinic. Haven of Hope now includes a hospital, medical and social services for elderly, disabled and special needs members of our community. Recently Haven of Hope decided to open a Nursing Home to care for the increasing number of elderly in Hong Kong. It was decided that this nursing home would develop a full range of caring services consistent with Haven of Hope's purpose.

Haven of Hope's Mission - “Through a ministry of holistic care, we strive to share the Gospel and develop a Christian community. In the love of Christ, we deliver our service in a caring, professional and progressive spirit so that the lives of those serving and being served are mutually enriched.”

The Sister Annie Shau Nursing Home opened on 9 May 2005. The very next day God provided an opportunity for the staff to fully realize their hope for this service. This is their report:

“A healthy elderly lady, was supposed to join her daughter, a Christian translator, to stay in China. However, due to a hand fracture, she was hospitalized and was directly discharged to the Nursing Home on May 10th. Our nursing home was chosen by the daughter because of Haven of Hope's Christian traditions. The daughter requested daily “Quiet Time” for her mother. Every day staff read the Bible and sang hymns with her and very soon this attracted other residents to join the activity. From then, quite quickly, a daily fellowship group of residents was formed. This lady is now recovered and in China with her daughter. It seems that the Christian work of our nursing home has been started by the help of an elderly lady with a fractured hand in the period of 8 weeks while she stayed with us.”

God began working even before Haven of Hope had anticipated but they were ready to see God's activity in their midst. What a wonderful example of being ready and open to God's work in our midst!

Please pray for Haven of Hope and the various ways they share God's love in Hong Kong.

5 comments:

I have a general question following up this post.... Is anyone considering going into the missions field? Or something of that sort... helping people in the name of God? Well..... I dont know if you can consider it all in the same catergory.. but recently Ive been feeling led to maybe go into social work. Major in psycology... So, I think maybe that fits in that catergory a bit.... I lived in Malaysia for three years a little while back... and we were good friends with some missionaries, and their stories were amazing. In most places (especially muslim places) it is illegal to share your faith with the locals.... thats how it was there. But we still as a family and as a church helped the destitute people there. So, Im also thinking that Id like to do some mission work, and hopefully someday; as an adult; go back to Malaysia and maybe start another church.

But.. I know to acheive those goals, I must start here, and now. In my school. If anyone was at HS MAD this year, I sang a song called History Maker, and that song really just touches me... thats gonna be me, thats gotta be how we all need to be. We ARE GOING TO BE HISTORY MAKERS! Changing the world a little at a time, working together. I dont know about all you, but I get really fired up.... History makers. Its a big thing.

I pray that God uses every single one of us to be history makers, WE WILL NOT CONFORM TO THIS WORLD!

Allison, you are absolutely right. You really do need to start right where you are.

When I was a teen, a million years ago, I remember thinking that at some magical age in the future I would do all these marvelous things for God, but for the present, I wanted to live and have fun.

Well, the future is here, and if you don't establish habits of sharing your faith, reading your Bible, or living for Jesus, it doesn't automatically happen as an adult.

I hope some of you are feeling God's call to do His work; and I hope that includes being doctors, lawyers, teachers, truck drivers, and musicians as well as missionaries. The greatest mission field may well be right here in America, reaching the complacent and the satisfied.